It’s been a minute, hasn’t it? I’ve had on my to-write list for a while a few things, one of which is a post reflecting on the fact this blog had its 14th birthday in April and how much has changed in both my life and in Kimberly’s lives since. I’ll get to it, but as a means of wading back into the world of book blogging for fun, how about a trend that is delicious and timely? I’m talking about rainbow cakes on book covers.

Find below a few book covers, all capital-R romance titles, featuring a delicious rainbow cake on the cover. I’ve done my best to find the designer information, and I’ve included the Amazon description for included titles so you can build yourself the tastiest reading list imaginable. Interestingly, all three books are out this year. I hope we’ll see more of this design incorporated into more books, too–it’s a perfect nod to queerness and sweetness, all at once.

Are there others that I’ve missed? Tell me about those delightful queer cakes in the comments below.

 

Queerly Beloved by Susie Dumond. Cover design by Sarah Horgan.

 

Amy, a semicloseted queer baker and bartender in mid-2010s Oklahoma, has spent a lifetime putting other people’s needs before her own. Until, that is, she’s fired from her job at a Christian bakery and turns her one-off gig subbing in for a bridesmaid into a full-time business, thanks to her baking talents, crafting skills, and years watching rom-coms and Say Yes to the Dress. Between her new gig and meeting Charley, the attractive engineer who’s just moved to Tulsa, suddenly Amy’s found something—and someone—she actually wants.

Her tight-knit group of chosen family is thrilled that Amy is becoming her authentic self. But when her deep desire to please kicks into overdrive, Amy’s precarious balancing act strains her relationships to the breaking point, and she must decide what it looks like to be true to herself—and if she has the courage to try.

 

Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble by Alexis Hall (10/18/22). Cover design by Elizabeth Turner Stokes.

Paris Daillencourt is a recipe for disaster. Despite his passion for baking, his cat, and his classics degree, constant self-doubt and second-guessing have left him a curdled, directionless mess. So when his roommate enters him in Bake Expectations, the nation’s favourite baking show, Paris is sure he’ll be the first one sent home.

But not only does he win week one’s challenge—he meets fellow contestant Tariq Hassan. Sure, he’s the competition, but he’s also cute and kind, with more confidence than Paris could ever hope to have. Still, neither his growing romance with Tariq nor his own impressive bakes can keep Paris’s fear of failure from spoiling his happiness. And when the show’s vicious fanbase confirms his worst anxieties, Paris’s confidence is torn apart quicker than tear-and-share bread.

But if Paris can find the strength to face his past, his future, and the chorus of hecklers that live in his brain, he’ll realize it’s the sweet things in life that he really deserves.

 

 

D’Vaughn and Kris Plan a Wedding by Chencia C. Higgins. 

D’Vaughn and Kris have six weeks to plan their dream wedding.

Their whole relationship is fake.

Instant I Do could be Kris Zavala’s big break. She’s right on the cusp of really making it as an influencer, so a stint on reality TV is the perfect chance to elevate her brand. And $100,000 wouldn’t hurt, either.

D’Vaughn Miller is just trying to break out of her shell. She’s sort of neglected to come out to her mom for years, so a big splashy fake wedding is just the excuse she needs.

All they have to do is convince their friends and family they’re getting married in six weeks. If anyone guesses they’re not for real, they’re out. Selling their chemistry on camera is surprisingly easy, and it’s still there when no one else is watching, which is an unexpected bonus. Winning this competition is going to be a piece of wedding cake.

But each week of the competition brings new challenges, and soon the prize money’s not the only thing at stake. A reality show isn’t the best place to create a solid foundation, and their fake wedding might just derail their relationship before it even starts.